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The Citizen
31-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Rassie Erasmus looks at player ages, prep for 2027 Rugby World Cup
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said aside from issues in their game play, the team is in a good place halfway through its four-year preparation cycle for the next Rugby World Cup. When also asked whether some senior players would still be considered for the 2027 global showpiece in Australia, he said selection would be fair – If older players are still performing, they will be there. Erasmus was speaking to media amid their two-week training camp in Johannesburg ahead of their Rugby Championship title defence. This begins with games against Australia in Johannesburg and Cape Town on August 16 and 23, respectively. Gap in player experience Thirty-seven Test-capped players are included in the squad for those games, with eight capable Springboks acting as backup. Three Junior Springbok stars who helped their team win the World Rugby U20 Championship joined the camp, as Erasmus seeks depth and eyes all 'possibilities of players' in the coming months and years. When asked about preparation for 2027, Erasmus said: 'I can't really say there are any problems – I am not saying with our game, there are lots of things we must fix.' He said during Covid-19, players lost out on rugby from school level all the way to domestic and international level. Erasmus saw the result of that in the quality of players currently aged 20 to 26. But he is adapting to this. 'You lose two years of guys developing. But overall, apart from that I'll be looking for excuses because I think we are pretty much on track. 'But we are trying to focus on the now without forgetting the future. We know 2027 is going to be big but if we don't do well leading up to it, we might lose momentum.' Older Springboks will be selected if they perform The Springboks have a number of older players who may retire in the coming years. Siya Kolisi (34), Cobus Reinach (35), Bongi Mbonambi (34), Damian de Allende (33), Eben Etzebeth (33), Faf de Klerk (33), Franco Mostert (34), Makazole Mapimpi (35), Vincent Koch (35) and Willie le Roux (35), are among them. Erasmus said age is not as important as ability. 'Probably all of us will be involved until 2027 if I don't get fired before then,' he smiled. However, he said: 'Trying to calculate which guys will be there in 2027, that's why we had a camp with 45 guys here. Because we are not 100% sure. 'Some guys we feel iffy, some guys we think will definitely make it. Some guys are just freaks of athletes, like Johnny Sexton who can play until they are 38. But you don't get a lot of those.' That was why he is trying to build a large player base. 'They plan their rugby lives around their age and how well they can play. So if they are still in the top one to three in their positions until 2026, we'll probably play those guys. But making plans like we did, having bigger groups, making sure the younger guys coming through are quite comfortable… I think we are okay.' In recent history, Schalk Brits played in the 2019 Rugby World Cup at the age of 38, and Duane Vermeulen was 37 at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Likewise, Deon Fourie was the oldest player to make his Springbok debut, at 36. He was 37 when he played in the 2023 Rugby World Cup. This article first appeared in The Citizen. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
The Citizen
31-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Rassie looks at player ages, prep for 2027 World Cup
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus called it unfair to phase an older player out of his plans if he was still performing, but would ensure there are back-ups. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said aside from issues in their game play, the team is in a good place halfway through its four-year preparation cycle for the next World Cup. When also asked whether some senior players would still be considered for the 2027 global showpiece in Australia, he said selection would be fair – If older players are still performing, they will be there. Erasmus was speaking to media amid their two-week training camp in Johannesburg ahead of their Rugby Championship title defence. This begins with games against Australia in Johannesburg and Cape Town on 16 and 23 August, respectively. Gap in player experience Thirty-seven Test-capped players are included in the squad for those games, with eight capable Springboks acting as backup. Three Junior Springbok stars who helped their team win the World Rugby U20 Championship joined the camp, as Erasmus seeks depth and eyes all 'possibilities of players' in the coming months and years. When asked about preparation for 2027, Erasmus said, 'I can't really say there are any problems – I am not saying with our game, there are lots of things we must fix.' He said during Covid, players lost out on rugby from school level all the way to domestic and international level. Erasmus saw the result of that in the quality of players currently aged 20 to 26. But he was adapting to this. 'You lose two years of guys developing. But overall, apart from that I'll be looking for excuses because I think we are pretty much on track. 'But we are trying to focus on the now without forgetting the future. We know 2027 is going to be big but if we don't do well leading up to it, we might lose momentum.' Older Springboks will be selected if they perform The Springboks have a number of older players who may retire in the coming years. Siya Kolisi, 34, Cobus Reinach, 35, Bongi Mbonambi, 34, Damian de Allende, 33, Eben Etzebeth, 33, Faf de Klerk, 33, Franco Mostert, 34, Makazole Mapimpi, 35, Vincent Koch, 35, and Willie le Roux, 35, are among them. Erasmus said age was not as important as ability. 'Probably all of us will be involved until 2027 if I don't get fired before then,' he smiled. However, he said, 'Trying to calculate which guys will be there in 2027, that's why we had a camp with 45 guys here. Because we are not 100% sure. 'Some guys we feel iffy, some guys we think will definitely make it. Some guys are just freaks of athletes, like Johnny Sexton who can play until they are 38. But you don't get a lot of those.' That was why he was trying to build a large player base. 'They plan their rugby lives around their age and how well they can play. So if they are still in the top one to three in their positions until 2026, we'll probably play those guys. But making plans like we did, having bigger groups, making sure the younger guys coming through are quite comfortable… I think we are okay.' In recent history, Schalk Brits played in the 2019 World Cup at the age of 38, and Duane Vermeulen was 37 at the 2023 World Cup. Likewise, Deon Fourie was the oldest player to make his Springbok debut, at 36. He was 37 when he played in the 2023 World Cup.
The Citizen
30-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Rassie: U20 stars won't play for Springboks this year
Three U20 players joined the Springbok training camp while players like Lukhanyo Am, Faf de Klerk, Makazole Mapimpi, and others were left out. None of the three World Rugby U20 Championship winners included in the current Springbok training camp will play for the senior side this year. Bok head coach Rassie Erasmus confirmed this after the inclusion of Bathobele Hlekani (loose forward), Cheswill Jooste (winger), and Haashim Pead (scrumhalf) at the cost of several experienced players raised eyebrows. The trio joined 37 Test-capped players for the two-week training camp in Johannesburg ahead of South Africa's Rugby Championship openers against Australia on 16 and 23 August. The three players shone for South Africa during their U20 Championship win in Italy. However, Boks Lukhanyo Am, Faf de Klerk, Makazole Mapimpi, Salmaan Moerat, Evan Roos, Neethling Fouche and Vincent Tshituka were named as standby players for the squad, and missed the camp altogether as Erasmus cut his squad down to size. Other Springboks also missed out, being sent back to their franchises to train there. Experiencing the Bok environment When asked about this decision, Erasmus reiterated his goal of building a player base at least three positions deep, while getting youth involved. He said they were looking at all 'possibilities of players' ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Australia. 'We definitely don't see those guys playing Test matches this year,' he explained. 'But getting them used to the environment here and wherever they go, their franchises or clubs, if still U20 as one will still be next season. 'It's for us to understand, like we did for Ntokozo [Makhaza], how quickly guys can make the step-up and settle into the whole environment, the energy they bring. The three of them know 100% well that there is no chance, apart from if they really knock down the door and blow us away in training sessions.' Springbok coaches aren't using kid gloves On that note, Erasmus said he and his assistant coaches were not going easy on the youngsters. The trio have been included in all field and study room sessions, getting the full Springbok training experience. 'It's not like we keep them out of certain things, for them to just sit and listen and learn. It's for them to take part and to make sure the older guys know this is who is coming through. 'So yes, they are fitting in well and I think they are enjoying it and they are keeping up. They are really keeping up with the other guys, so that is great.'
